Getty Former Patriots QB and NFL MVP Cam Newton.
The Houston Texans struggled mightily to move the football on Thursday night against the Carolina Panthers with rookie quarterback Davis Mills at the helm.
The Texans fell 24-9 in the Week 3 opener. With starter Tyrod Taylor out for an extended period with an injury and Deshaun Watson likely having played his last game with the franchise, H-Town’s QB situation is in bad shape.
That reality has prompted some to suggest the team bring in Cam Newton.
Most recently, the Boston Globe’s Ben Volin took to Twitter to make the suggestion:
Davis Mills really doesn’t seem ready to play. Why not call up Cam Newton? Other than the not vaccinated thing
The lack of vaccination–if that’s still the case–could be a major issue for Newton. However, if he finds a team willing to work around that, or perhaps if he has since been vaccinated, maybe the Texans could be interested.
Several Members of the Media Are Suggesting Newton Land with the Texans
Joseph Nocco of ClutchPoints agrees with Volin. He thinks the Texans should sign Newton.
Nocco wrote:
Regardless of how terrible the Texans intend to be this time around, Houston simply cannot stick with Mills. Instead, they need to put in a call to former Carolina Panthers and New England Patriots quarterback Cam Newton, who remains an unrestricted free agent. The 32-year-old Newton is no doubt past his prime. However, he is by far the best available option out there on the open market at the present moment. With former Alabama Crimson Tide standout and Patriots rookie Mac Jones beating out Newton for the starting job in New England during the preseason, the heralded AFC East franchise — in a very surprising move — elected to cut ties with the former league MVP and longtime Panthers signal-caller. This preseason aside, Newton only lasted one season in New England and led the Patriots to a very disappointing 7-9 record. Although COVID-19, a change of scenery, and ultimately a first-round NFL Draft pick spoiled Newton’s brief stint as a member of the Patriots, there is still a very solid chance that his time in New England was nothing more than an outlier.
The weapons in Houston aren’t among the best in the NFL, but they are far better than the ones Newton had to work with in New England in 2020. Brandin Cooks alone would represent the kind of deep threat Newton hasn’t played with since he got to throw to Ted Ginn Jr. in his prime. Newton’s ability to make plays with his feet can never be dismissed, and let’s not forget the fact that Newton’s presence puts butts in seats. It all matters in the grand scheme of things.
Would Cam Newton’s Friendship With Deshaun Watson Be an Issue?
Watson and the Texans are not on the best of terms. That’s perhaps the biggest understatement one can make. Watson has looked up to Newton as a mentor since he was a part of the former No. 1 overall pick’s 7-on-7 team. You have to wonder if that relationship would be a conflict of interest for Newton and/or the Texans. If it’s all about football, it is tough not to make a case for the Texans calling Newton.